A strange sight on the railway bridge greeted travellers on Addingham Main Street in 1966. The wrecking crane was employed to lift the tracks prior to the demolition of the bridge following the closure of the line.

125 years ago

THE incessant fall of snow, hail and rain which set in towards the end of last week increased in volume, swelling the river Wharfe and its tributaries to such an unwonted degree that the natural channels were quite inadequate to carry away the flood; consequently the waters burst their natural boundaries and rushed in an irresistible torrent over the valley doing great damage to property and in several instances placing the lives of people in imminent jeopardy.

The annual meeting of the Ilkley Liberal Club condemned the 'dastardly assassination of our honoured President Lord Frederick Cavendish, in Phoenix Park. The news was received in this district, where his true worth was so well known and appreciated, with heartfelt sorrow'.

The Ilkley medical officer reported that the epidemic of whooping cough which prevailed during the last few months of 1882 was rapidly disappearing, there being a marked diminuation in the number and severity of the cases reported. During the month of January a total of two deaths being registered in the township of Ilkley. One to convulsions and one adult being occasioned by 'Lepticarenia following parturition' (Sorry, we don't know either).

100 years ago

The annual meeting of the Ilkley Wesleyan Juvenile Mission Society was held in the Wesleyan school room, Wells Road, on Friday evening. The Rev Isaac Shimmin, who has spent a considerable portion of his life in South Africa pursuing evangelistic work, gave a highly interesting and instructive lecture.

A capital entertainment was provided in the lecture hall on Monday evening by Mr and Mrs Gordon Wilde and Mr Douglas Randall, before a good audience. The programme consisted of pianoforte selection, musical monologues, musical sketches, thought reading, and singing and talking shadows. Many novel and interesting events were introduced, including the playing of the pianoforte blindfold and while the keyboard was covered with a sheet.

A correspondent of the "Field" described how while taking, a walk in the neighbourhood of Ilkley, he saw a little auk rise from the side of the river. According to another correspondent a black stork was seen at Addingham a few days ago.

75 years ago

The first application to the Ministry of Transport for the imposition of a motor speed limit since the Road Traffic Act of 1930 came into operation, is in respect of Addingham Main Street. A public inquiry into the application was conducted on Wednesday in the Addingham Parish Room. Emphasis was laid upon the many danger points in the street where, prior to the Road Traffic Act, there was a ten-mile speed limit since 1919. The application of the West Riding County Council was for a maximum speed limit of 15 miles per hour.

Dr Whitfield, reporting to the Ilkley Urban District Council, said the outlook on the outbreak of influenza was hopeful, but that while the closing of schools had been suggested in some quarters personally he did not advocate such as step. "This influenza is so dreadfully infectious," he said. "We don't know how we get it. We may get it at a shop, in a church, or in a cinema, or even by calling at a house, and to close the schools would be futile. So far as I have observed this epidemic is not so vicious as previous epidemics.."

Addingham Parish Council has generously decided to open the room at the Memorial Close during the winter months in order that the unemployed can use it as a place of recreation. An appeal is made for gifts of games, magazines, books and newspapers and, indeed, anything which would assist in brightening the place and prove of interest to those who use it.

50 years ago

A Burnley lorry driver escaped injury on Tuesday lunchtime when his vehicle, after travelling down the Silsden Road at Addingham, went across Main Street on to the grass verge, crossed the street and crashed through the wall which divides the glass-roofed shed of Townhead Mill from the road. One of the looms was severely damaged the warp ruined. Fortunately the men and women who work the looms had gone for their lunch hour and there was no-one in the shed when the accident happened.

Ilkley Road Safety Committee spent a good deal of its meeting on Monday night discussing the action to be taken when subsidences occur after trenches had been filled following road works. Supt H Green had noticed that a trench on the trunk road opposite Glover's garage had subsided and the level had dropped to such an extent that it could be a danger for pedal cyclists.

Objections by Menston residents to proposals by Ilkley Council to develop land for residential purposes in Bradford Road and Main Street, Menston, instead of leaving them as open spaces, were heard on behalf of the Minister of Housing and Local Government in Ilkley Town hall this week. The Council's proposal, which has the support of the county council, is to develop five acres, changing these from public spaces, instead using land at Menston Hall as a public open space.

25 years ago

Heavy snow followed by rain on Monday brought to an end one of the wettest months of January for several years in the Ilkley area. About four inches of snow fell on Monday morning making driving hazardous and causing bus services to be delayed for up to half an hour.

The Fleece Inn, Addingham has earned the distinction of being the only public house in the Bradford Metropolitan area to be in every one of the 10 publications of The Good Beer Guide, which started in 1974. Only two other pubs in West Yorkshire share the distinction.

A patented folding table system by Ilkley-based Fray Design Marketing Ltd has been approved by the Design Council in the Haymarket, giving the seven-year-old company national, if not international success. The Reflex folding table is produced in a range of specifications suitable for catering, office and boardroom use, and is being supplied to many local authorities, banks and hotels.

3:47pm Thursday 31st January 2008

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